Forest staff trap leopard

Rajkot: Residents of Padariya village near Junagadh heaved a sigh of relief after a leopard, which was camping on the outskirts of the village for almost 12 days, was finally trapped by forest department staff on Saturday.

Sources said that the forest department laid a trap for the seven-year-old male leopard on Friday.

Led by the assistant conservator of forest B T Chadhasania, forest officials first tracked the dispersion area of the big cat on the outskirts of the village to earmark the spot, where the trap could be laid. Later, the forest officials released the leopard into Gir forest much to the happiness of villagers, who had stopped moving freely fearing an attack by the animal.